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Topic: They are still stealing our saints! (Read 9844 times)

Our Lady was supposed to have said to the little girl in that apparition:

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My name is Mother of perpetual Help.

No century or country can claim me.

I belong to all ages and all peoples.

[/b]

As to the worldwide devotion to the miraculous icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Her shrine in the Philippines is said to be the largest (maintained by the Redemptorist Fathers) in the Far East, seating 12,000 devotees, and second largest in the world next to St. Peter's basilica in terms of seating capacity.

However, the number of devotees during the weekly Novena on Wednesdays exceeds 100,000:

From Rome to Brooklyn, NY, and to other large shrines in Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and Africa. It is, therefore, a wondrous "gift" from the East, through Rome, to the whole world!

[It is, therefore, a wondrous "gift" from the East, through Rome, to the whole world!]

Oh, so now it becomes a "GIFT".

It's amazing how the Theotokos always suddenly appears with a statement of justification right after a misdeed or change in the theology of Rome to justify it!

How this Holy woman who Scripture tells us her only role was to play an important part in the Incarnation. And who was to spend a lifetime pointing us towards her son always appears to Roman Catholics by bestowing a title of glory upon HERSELF first - ('I am the Immaculate Conception'. 'My Immaculate Heart is to be dedicated to Russia.' etc.) with little or no mention of her son. How she always puts herself first when supposedly speaking to Roman Catholics. And, in some cases even asks for churches to be built in her honor rather than her sons.

Orthodoc

« Last Edit: June 10, 2004, 05:09:53 PM by Orthodoc »

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Oh Lord, Save thy people and bless thine inheritance.Grant victory to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries.And by virtue of thy Cross preserve thy habitation.

"Are you going to justify the theft of the remains of St. Nicholas? After all, the Greeks are still pi$$ed about that, you know."

The Slavs did that along time ago by proclaiming the removal of the relics a translation and establishing it as a feast day.

Troparion of the FeastTone 4 A day of festal joy has come. The city of Bari rejoices, and the world sings with it. Today we celebrate the transfer of the relics of the wonderworking and holy Nicholas. Just as the perfect Light has gleamed in glory, so does Nicholas disperse the darkness of temptation for those who sing out: Save us as a patron, O Nicholas.

Kontakion of the FeastTone 3Like a star rising in the East, your relics have arisen and come to the West. The waters of the sea have been hallowed by your passage, and the city of Bari has received grace from you. You are truly a most wonderful miracle-worker and a merciful prelate; therefore, we praise you.

The Prologue of Ohrid on the FeastTHE TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS OF SAINT NICHOLAS THE WONDER-WORKER OF MYRA IN LYCIA.

During the reign of Emperor Alexius Commenus and Patriarch NicholasGrammaticus, the body of this saint was translated from Myra in Lycia to the town of Bari in Italy in 1007 A.D. This occurred because of the assault of the Muslims on Lycia. The saint appeared in a dream to an honorable priest in Bari and ordered that his relics be translated to this town. At that time, Bari was Orthodox and under the Orthodox Patriarch. During the translation of the relics of this saint many miracles occurred either by touching the relics or from the myrrh [oil] which abundantly flowed from his relics. "Also on this day, is commemorated the miracle of St. Nicholas to the Serbian King, Stephan of Decani: how St. Nicholas restored the sight to the blinded King Stephan.

1. The Orthodox Churches were burned and/or destroyed by Albanian Muslims during the March 2004 "progrom."

2. During or immediately after the wanton destruction, Fr. Christian Venard came all the way from Bosnia to remove the relics from the destroyed Churches for "safekeeping." The removal of the relics did happen and, apparently, Fr. Christian Venard was accompanied by "international military escorts" to the Churches. (It has not been determined yet who authorized Fr. Venard. The Roman Catholic diocese/ bishop of the area denied any foreknowledge of Fr. Venard's actions.)

3. All relics remained in Kosovo. Fr. Venard, after "rescuing" the relics and turning them over to (not yet determined) for safekeeping, returned to Bosnia.

4. One relic has been returned by the French military authorities in Kosovo. Apparently, all relics are in the possession of the French military authorities. (Fr. Venard was to have stated during the "rescue" that he would turn all the relics over to the "local bishop.")

5. The last 2 relics (subject of Orthodoc's initial post) were alleged to have been returned already by the French military authorities but the commentaries say otherwise. The Roman Catholic bishop of the area also wants to know what is happening.

My personal observations:

1. This could be an "altruistic" gesture on the part of the French cleric (he is not a Chaplain of the French military in the area) or on the part of Roman Catholic Church in Bosnia (not Kosovo), realizing that Serbian Orthodox clergy might be hurt or attacked by the Albanian Muslims.

2. From the point of view of the Serbian Orthodox authorities, it is "theft" if they never authrized the removals.

3. From the point of view of Fr. Venard and whoever instructed him to go from Bosnia to Kosovo and "rescue" those relics, it appears helping out brother Christians, the Orthodox.

The only thing I can see being wrong about the whole thing is keeping the Serbian Orthodox bishops out of the loop. Note that its apparently the French who have it, and not the Roman Catholic Church. I can only assume that is who Orthodoc is referring to by the "They" in the subject title.

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"Hearing a nun's confession is like being stoned to death with popcorn." --Abp. Fulton Sheen